It's best not to judge the Samsung DVD-V5650 DVD/VCR combination solely on its appearance. Coupled with the cheap and poorly designed remote, the overall flimsy construction of the DVD-V5650 doesn't bode well for this player's performance. However, despite some disc compatibility problems, the DVD-V5650 performs much better than it looks.

The progressive scan DVD side of the DVD-V5650 promises much. In addition to DVD-Video and standard audio CD, this player is compatible with home-recorded content on DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, SVCD, VCD and CD-R/RW, including recordable discs loaded with MP3 and WMA digital audio files or JPEG images. The DVD-V5650 is also compatible with Xvid and DivX, which is especially appealing if you want to watch internet-sourced content on your TV. While this all sounds impressive on paper, in reality the DVD-V5650 struggles to read some home-recorded discs. Compatibility seems hit-and-miss, often depending on the brand of disc and method used to burn the content.

The DVD-V5650's hi-fi stereo VCR has four heads for higher-quality pause and scan results. The seven-event, 1-month timer makes recording favorite TV shows as simple as ever, and the DVD-V5650 also has one-touch VHS recording. With each press of the record button, the VCR will record for 30 minutes.

If you want to continue to enjoy an existing library of VHS tapes, yet still want to be able to play the latest DVD content, a combination player makes a convenient, space-saving choice. However, if you plan to watch a lot of home-burned discs, you may want to consider a more consistent player than the Samsung DVD-V5650.


Pros:  DivX and Xvid compatibility, progressive scan DVD playback
Cons:  Flimsy construction, poorly designed remote, inconsistent playback of home-recorded discs

Warranty
90 days labor, 1 year parts